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A primer on climbing and descending.
Introduction
OK, first off - no one ever became a better cyclist by avoiding hills.
And yet I see people wanting to avoid hills all the time, reveling in
the glory of a downhill or flat section, then crumbling and falling
back as they hit a slight incline. Some of the problem is mental - all
cyclists suffer on a climb, some just suffer better than others - but
skill also plays a huge part in winning the fight against gravity.
You don't need chiseled muscles or an expensive bike to climb fast.
Though these things can help when used effectively, I've passed many
gym bunnies and wealthy execs on my way to various summits. It's skill
that will help put you over the top with ease, and, combined with
practice, the following techniques will make anyone a better climber.
In fact, after some training, so may even find yourself enjoying the
hills! So read on and find out what it takes to ascend with ease.
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Ancient Climbing Secret #1: Increase your cadence
Your "cadence" is the number of rotations that your pedal makes in
one minute. You can check your cadence by counting how many times a
single pedal rotates over a period of 15 seconds, then multiply that by
four to get your RPMs (Rotations Per Minute).
An easier and more accurate way to measure cadence is to use a
cyclo-computer- you will have to spend at least $50 to get one with a
cadence feature, but it is well worth the extra cost. Ask if the bike
store will include installation with purchase, as they can be tricky to
set up.
One of the keys to climbing is conserving energy so you can get to the top without blowing your top. Pedalling at a high cadence is crucial to this because it spares your muscles by employing your cardiovascular system instead.
No matter how strong you are, you have a limited amount of glycogen in
your muscles and once that's used up, you bonk. But if your cardio
system is trained, it will keep working indefinitely as long as you
keep it fueled up with food and fluids.
Stay in easy gears and aim for a cadence 70-90 rpms when climbing and 80-100 rpms on flats.
This may seem inefficient at first if you are used to mashing big
gears, but as your leg speed and pedaling technique (see below)
improves, you'll be able to ride much faster - and for longer periods
of time, too. Spinning classes can help increase your pedalling speed
by training you to "release" the legs to allow them to move faster.
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Ancient Climbing Secret #2: Choose an easy gear
Choose an easy gear before the incline starts.
This will cause you to spin into the hill at a high cadence, sparing
your muscles for the work ahead. Once the hill steepens, an easier gear
will either allow you to maintain a good cadence, or you can shift to a
higher gear to pick up the pace. However, if you pick a gear that is
too hard, you will fatigue and lose momentum while you grope for an
easier gear. Pushing hard on the pedals in big gears also increases
stress on your joints, and often is the cause of knee pain.
If the hill changes pitch, you may be forced to drop a gear or stand
up. Because you can't pedal as fast when standing up (see below), shift to a higher gear (smaller rear cog) on the stroke before you rise from the saddle.
This will help keep your speed up as your cadence decreases. (Even
experienced cyclists lose some ground when standing, so be sure to not
follow other riders too closely when ascending.) Conversely, shift to
the next lowest gear (larger rear cog) on the first stroke after
sitting to maintain your speed at your higher seated cadence.
No cyclist can anticipate the perfect gear every time, but by
practicing you'll become more proficient at picking the perfect cog for
the job.
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Ancient Climbing Secret #3: Pedal in circles
Next to high cadence, an efficient pedal stroke is at the core of any good cyclist's repertoire. Engaging the pedal throughout its entire rotation is essential to maintaining speed while saving energy on any terrain.
When doing battle with gravity this skill becomes even more important,
since you'll be working twice as hard if you are only pushing down on
the pedals, as opposed to pushing and pulling.
(Note that you need to be attached to the pedals for the following techniques.
If your bike does not have clipless pedals, get yourself some as soon
as possible, along with proper cycling shoes. At the very least, attach
cages to your current pedals. However, clipless pedals are more
efficient, simpler to use, and easier on your knees, feet and ankles.
Being attached to the pedals opens up a whole new world of cycling -
you'll really discover what your bike can do.)
Imagine that there is a circle attached to the side of your crankset
and try and "trace" that circle with your foot. As you reach the bottom
of your pedal stroke (5 o'clock position), keep engaging the pedal by
pulling your foot back - imagine you are scraping mud off the soles of your shoes. As you reach the top of the stroke (past 9 o-clock), pull up by kicking your feet forward and over the top - imagine standing on a log and trying to roll it forward using your feet.
A very effective mental trick is to imagine that the pedals are made of feathers.
This will prevent you from pounding on the pedals and help you focus on
smoothly turning them over instead. Keep your feet mostly flat
throughout the rotation, but with some flex in the ankles.
To improve your pedaling form, practice one-legged pedal drills.
When you are cycling on your trainer or a stationary bike at the gym,
take one foot out of the pedal for a minute, then use both legs for one
minute, then use only the other pedal for one minute, then both for one
minute before repeating. At first, your legs may ache as you use new
muscles in your legs, but with practice you'll quickly build strength
and you'll notice a big difference in your pedaling smoothness and
speed.
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Assume The Position: Staying seated
There are two positions for climbing a hill - seated and standing. Climbing in the seated position is more efficient
because it uses the least amount of energy. Staying seated also
strengthens the core leg muscles you need most for cycling, so most of
your climbing intervals should be done in this position.
Climb with your back flat
so that your legs have a platform to push against - I often see
cyclists hunched over their handlebars as they struggle up a hill, not
realizing they are making more work for themselves by weakening the
link in their back. Core strength is important here, so don't skip out
on those ab and back exercises! On steeper hills, slide your butt back on the saddle - this will help you to push with your quads and gluts, the bigger muscles in your legs.
Keep your upper body relaxed
and your hands further apart to open your chest, which will allow you
to breath freely. If you have drop handlebars, move your hands to the
tops of the handlebars on steep climbs so you are less bent over. Breath deep into your belly and exhale fully - oxygen is always essential fuel, even more so when exerting yourself on a climb.
While your upper body stays relaxed, it should also be still. Swaying
of the shoulders expends precious energy that should be going into your
pedals, and suggests that you may be climbing in too hard a gear - drop
it down one. That said, trying to resist all motion can also waste
energy, so stay loose and try and find your natural form.
Imagine your upper body is a channel for all the energy going though
your legs and into your pedals. And remember - your pedals are made of
feathers.
Maintain a relaxed grip on the handlebars.
Having a "death grip" on the handlebars wastes more valuable energy and
can cause soreness in the wrists and arms. Your fingers should be loose
enough that you can wiggle them - pretend you are playing the piano on
your handlebars. Keep a slightly firm grip if the road surface is
bumpy.
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Assume the position: Standing up
You may feel like standing is easier because you are using your body
weight to help push on the pedals, but your cadence slows down so on a
longer climb it's not as efficient as staying seated. Climbing out of
the saddle also makes your legs, arms and back work extra hard to
support your body, so you will tire more quickly.
However, standing does give your butt a break from the saddle and a
chance to loosen the legs. And if the hill is short or steepens
suddenly, you may want to stand up briefly to help push you over the
top.
When standing, pull up on the same side of the handlebar that your pedal is coming down
on to use your upper body for an extra push. Sway the bike under you
and center your weight over each crank - think of yourself as "dancing
on the pedals".
If you are strong, you will probably use a combination of both
positions where appropriate, so standing intervals can be a helpful
part of your hill training. The general rule is: stay seated when you can - stand when you have to.
My last but not least important tip on climbing form is: smile!
Although it may be the last thing you feel like doing, replacing a
grimace with a grin will prevent tense jaw muscles, and make you feel
more confident. Looks better in photos too.
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Now For The Fun Part: Descending
You expend proportionately more effort to increase your speed while descending
than while riding on flat land or uphill. So while it's tempting to
hammer down the hills in a desperate attempt to gain speed, it's more
efficient to use your descents for recovery. This will save your
valuable energy for the hills that are sure to come.
While going down a hill, keep your eyes straight ahead
and look further down the hill for any obstacles or holes in your path.
Give other cyclists around you lots of room. If you are riding in
traffic, take up more of the lane
to discourage cars from trying to squeeze by you, and to give yourself
more room to maneuver should you need to (always shoulder-check before
veering either way).
On a gradual descent, keep your legs spinning
lightly in a gear low enough to engage the cranks but without working
hard. This will maintain circulation in the legs and help to clear
built-up lactic acid from your muscles.
On a steep downhill, lift and move your butt back over the saddle, and keep your pedals level with the ground with your knees and elbows bent
to absorb bumps and road vibration. If the bike wobbles, close your
knees on the top tube to stabilize the frame. If you have drop
handlebars ride with your hands in the "drops" (the
lower part of the handlebars) - this will lower your center of gravity,
making you more aerodynamic and giving you more braking control and
stability should you need to slow or stop suddenly.
Should you need to brake, remember that the front brake is more efficient
than the back one for sudden stops - and keeping your weight back will
help prevent you from going over the handlebars in such an emergency.
For simply adjusting speed, feather both the front and the back brakes.
As with climbing, it's important to stay relaxed when descending and remember that you can steer the bike by leaning rather than using the handlebars.
Staying rigid will make your steering and braking twitchy and just
increase your nervousness. Descending with confidence takes time, but
once you're comfortable with the speed, nothing equals the thrill of
zipping down a big hill on a nothing but a pair of thin tires -and a
smile.
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Practice Makes Perfect: Interval training
Now that you know the techniques, the best way to improve your
climbing ability is to do just that - climb. Make sure you pump up your
tires to the recommended pressure so you have less rolling resistance,
and don't carry a lot of heavy gear, such as a lock.
Find a decent hill in your neighbourhood and ride to the top, then
turn around and do it again. And again... and again. Do intervals in
sets of three, then recover in between sets by spinning in an easy gear
on flat terrain.
At first you may only be able to do one set, and you will be sore.
But after even just a couple of sessions, you will notice your speed
and strength improve considerably - not just up hills, but on the flats
as well. Doing climbing intervals is akin to strength training in the
gym - but a whole lot more effective for cycling. Once you combine
hill-specific training with the tips discussed above, you just may find
yourself flying to the top in no time "flat".
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